Gauges are commonly used in different applications to convey information to a driver about various operating conditions of a vehicle. Several gauges may be included as part of an instrument cluster to provide information to the driver relating to vehicle speed, engine speed, amount of fuel used, engine temperature, fuel economy, and the like. Gauges are also used for applications other than for automotive use, such as air compressors, boilers, and the like. When used in a vehicle, typical gauges receive information from a device such as the vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU). These gauges include a pointer which rotates and aligns with various portions of a scale, and the pointer moves to various locations along the scale, depending upon the information received from the ECU.
However, most of these types of gauges have a pointer that is in front of the scale, and the pointer rotates about an axis. The pointer typically is mounted near the center of the gauge, and extends outwardly, overlapping with part of the scale. The pointer is calibrated to properly align with the portion of the scale when the gauge is viewed substantially perpendicularly. The reading provided by the gauge may have a margin of error when viewed from various angles. Also, the pointer takes up space on the front of the gauge, which limits the amount of information that may be displayed on the scale.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a gauge which is viewable from different angles, provides an accurate reading, and improves the reading of the scale.